Drug-cleared barangays to undergo reevaluation

CEBU, Philippines — Close to half the total number of previously drug-cleared barangays in Cebu City are currently undergoing reevaluation for the retention of their status, said Jonah Rodriguez, executive director of the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP).

In a span of five years, Cebu City had 39 barangays declared as drug-cleared by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Program is headed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 including the additional five new barangays recently cleared.

Combined figures in 2021 and 2022 shows 13 barangays declared as drug-cleared --Sto. Ni o, Sinsin, Parian, Buot, Pamutan, Sudlon 1 and 2, Toong, Sapangdaku, San Antonio, Basak-Pardo, Lusaran, and Kinasang-an.

A dozen barangays were then added in 2023 --Adlaon, Agsungot, Binaliw, Budlaan, Kamagayan, Kalubihan, Punta Princesa, Tabunan, Kasambagan, Mabini, Cambinocot, and Zapatera.

In 2024, there were nine barangays declared as drug-cleared --Tagbao, Guba, Bacayan, Pit-os, Malubog, Paril, Binaliw, San Jose and Babag.

Just recently, five more barangays also got cleared --T. Padilla, Bonbon, Pahina-San Nicolas, Bulacao and Poblacion-Pardo.

However, The FREEMAN learned that around 15 of the previously drug-cleared barangays in the city are set to undergo  retention deliberation .

 Out of the 34 drug-cleared (excluding the additional five new barangays declared as drug cleared), 19 have retained their drug-cleared status while the others have to undergo retention deliberation,  Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez earlier explained that a barangay could lose its drug-cleared status if the PDEA and the police find the presence of a new drug personality and the barangay failed to include this in its monthly report.

Rodriguez refused to reveal the barangays undergoing this process as they are still finalizing the list.

Aside from the barangays set to undergo reevaluation, Rodriguez said that there are six more barangays also hoping to be cleared by June of this year.

Among the factors the committee considered is the reassessment of the presence of individuals on the drug watchlist in a barangay, who will be placed under COSAP s Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program, which is then followed by an aftercare program.

Barangays are expected to do a monthly reporting for any developments on those under the watchlist as well as any new drug personalities in the barangays.